PC fan plastic and motor oil.

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Jun 2, 2022
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Hi, I am curious about the type of plastic that computer fans are made of (the most common and cheap, black tone) and its resistance to motor oil. As far as I know, motor oil eats certain types of plastics (some degrade quickly, others slowly), and rubbers pretty quickly (in a few days, maybe). Does anyone know what kind of plastic they are and their interaction with motor oil?
 
Just replace the fan. Oiling it is only temporary and will attract dust till it stops.
Exactly right. Buy a quality fan with good reviews and it will last much longer than an oiling fix. I tried the same thing you are proposing. If its a sleeved fan, the sleeve is worn and no oil that can wick in there will float it so it makes no noise for long. (I used WD40 and Remington gun oil)
Eventually it made a different noise but still annoying and dust caked on it.

Noctua is the brand I use with no issue for years. Nice and quiet but blow lots of air.
 
Although it is true, the purpose of my question is mainly curiosity and knowledge, since buying something new is always going to be the solution to all problems. A pc fan, if well sealed, will never collect dust in the bearing area, and if a proper oil is used, it will never get stuck. It will sound, yes, but unless it is vegetable or poor quality oil, it will hardly stagnate.
Just replace the fan. Oiling it is only temporary and will attract dust till it stops.
 
Hard to tell. Typical high volume plastic is ABS. While ABS might not melt in oil, long term exposure could slowly weaken it and make it brittle.
 
Although it is true, the purpose of my question is mainly curiosity and knowledge, since buying something new is always going to be the solution to all problems. A pc fan, if well sealed, will never collect dust in the bearing area, and if a proper oil is used, it will never get stuck. It will sound, yes, but unless it is vegetable or poor quality oil, it will hardly stagnate.
If it's well sealed, then it doubtful any oil you apply will make it where it's needed. If it does, then it's not well sealed. Toss it and replace it. It's a low cost item.
 
If it's well sealed, then it doubtful any oil you apply will make it where it's needed. If it does, then it's not well sealed. Toss it and replace it. It's a low cost item.
It is obvious that when I say "if it is well sealed", I mean that "first" you must apply the oil and then "seal it" (in sleeve bearings, since in shielded ball bearings there is no way to apply oil). With the plug and the sticker that manufacturers usually use to seal the hole where the bearing is, it is more than enough to prevent dust from entering that area. On the other hand, it is a waste to throw away a fan in good condition that only needs a cleaning and a drop of lubricant.
 
The type oc depends on the manufacturer. Higher end fans (Noctua, as an example) use better plastics to ensure long life.
 
Exactly right. Buy a quality fan with good reviews and it will last much longer than an oiling fix. I tried the same thing you are proposing. If its a sleeved fan, the sleeve is worn and no oil that can wick in there will float it so it makes no noise for long. (I used WD40 and Remington gun oil)
Eventually it made a different noise but still annoying and dust caked on it.

Noctua is the brand I use with no issue for years. Nice and quiet but blow lots of air.
The ones with the rubber dust caps, or even the ones with the sticker over it, to block dust, I have successfully silenced them and even unseized them using M1 ATF and had them run for many many years after with no repeat failure. In fact, off-hand, I can't recall having to ever go back into one. I keep a syringe (with needle) with ATF in it for this purpose.
 
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